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Reusable News

Coal Power from Neighboring States Could Undermine Northeast Global Warming Cap-and-Trade System

- Union Of Concerned Scientists

The Northeast’s cap-and-trade system for global warming pollution—the first of its kind in the nation—will be compromised unless utilities are prevented from importing additional coal-fired electricity, according to a report released today by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).
The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), which applies to power plants in 10 Northeastern states, does not preclude the utilities that supply electricity to Northeast homes and businesses from buying more electricity from coal-fired power plants outside the region. Obviously real solutions to Climate Change can’t involve a shell game of dirty supply.

U.S. Energy Agency Foresees Less Coal Power in 2030

- Union Of Concerned Scientists
A recent report projects a substantial drop in future carbon dioxide emissions. This drop is largely due to regulators rejecting, and utilities canceling construction of new coal plants. This trend reflects the behavior of investors and regulators who are taking into account the added cost to power plants that employ GHG-intensive technologies. Additions of new coal-fired power plants are significantly reduced from earlier projections. Hey, this is real progress!

Record Setting Marine Conservation by Bush Administration

It would not be a mis-characterization to say the Bush administration was hell bent to stand opposed to any environmental protection, whether approving Mountain Top removal mining or blocking EPA authority, allowing Uranium mining in National Parks, denying Global Warming and calling for new drilling. But in a gracious parting gesture that will undoubtedly be the fodder for future republican campaign rhetoric about how environmentally friendly this administration has been, three new marine preserves in the Pacific Ocean have been announced. The combined area is 50% larger than all US National Parks combined at 195,000 square miles.
US Pacific Remote Islands
 has large numbers of coral reefs and is home to vast numbers of migratory seabirds.
Northern Mariana Islands -
 includes the Mariana Trench the deepest canyon in the world, five times deeper than the Grand Canyon. This protected area would cover uninhabited volcanic islands containing coral reefs that are the home of over two dozen species of seabirds, endangered and threatened sea turtles, marine mammals and giant coconut crabs.
Rose Atoll
 – In American Samoa, at slightly less than 53 acres in size, Rose Atoll is one of the smallest atolls on the planet.

A New way to do Laundry

– Ode magazine
Xeros a company in England has developed a new washing machine that uses just 2% of the water used in conventional washers. The washer uses recycled plastic beads that clean clothes as well as traditional soap and water models. Other than significant savings in water and chemicals the washer also allows for cleaning clothes normally destined for the dry cleaner and since the clothes come out almost dry there is no need for a dryer. Machines will be priced comparable to conventional models and will be available in the UK starting this year. http://www.xerosltd.com

RecycleMania

What is RecycleMania? It is a friendly competition and benchmarking system among colleges and universities that provides the campus community with a fun, proactive way to engage with recycling and waste reduction. Over a 10-week period (January, 18 – March 28, 2009), campuses compete in different contests to see which institution can collect the largest amount of recyclables per capita, the largest amount of total recyclables, the least amount of trash per capita, or have the highest recycling rate. The competition is free for schools to join, and is open to colleges and universities internationally.